Finding your pace
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bettepower
Posts: 73 Member
I have noticed that on my good days I run at about 10,30 and my bad (unenthusiastic, unmotivated, yucky) I run about 11-12.
The faster pace feels better but I don't use it all the time because I know I won't be able to keep up for the whole run.
Do you that same thing? That sweet spot pace you feel you should be running but you aren't ready to run yet?
The faster pace feels better but I don't use it all the time because I know I won't be able to keep up for the whole run.
Do you that same thing? That sweet spot pace you feel you should be running but you aren't ready to run yet?
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Replies
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Definitely! If I jog at a comfortable (to me) pace, I can't keep up for the entire time. If I slow down to what feels slow even to me, I can do it. At the moment, I'm alternating between the two paces. Some days I'm jogging slow and walking little or not at all through the jog. Other days I'm jogging at a comfortable pace but know that I'll be taking short walking breaks. Other days yet, I'm adding short sprints to challenge myself and (hopefully) slowly gain speed so that the comfortable pace is endurable for an entire 5K jog.
It's definitely a journey. I'm enjoying learning to jog comfortably and am always being challenged by something outdoors: pace, wind resistance, surfaces, grade, etc. It's never boring.0 -
I have noticed that on my good days I run at about 10,30 and my bad (unenthusiastic, unmotivated, yucky) I run about 11-12.
The faster pace feels better but I don't use it all the time because I know I won't be able to keep up for the whole run.
Do you that same thing? That sweet spot pace you feel you should be running but you aren't ready to run yet?
I do that all the time. I run faster than I should when I was trying to take it easy. Last week I reading an article somewhere that mentioned our body will naturally find a pace that is a bit challenging. That's why it's so hard for a lot of us to just slow down. Yesterday on my long run I was determined to take it easy and I constantly had to watch my heart rate and force myself to slow down. But, wow I felt great and running was actually fun.0 -
Yes, it is so interesting that easy is hard and hard is easy (at least until it is not). You have both put me at ease and I will go with it, mix it up with sprints and such. It will be fun to one day run at a comfortable pace for a bit of distance. There is always something to look forward to with running.0
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Yesterday's run was my best ever. I kept reminding myself to slow down and be comfortable. I ran a total of 6Km in 54 minutes without discomfort and without stopping to walk at any time. It felt great! We CAN do this if we remember to take it easy.
I completed 5K in 45:15 and continued to 54 minutes when I passed the 6K mark. I'm not sure why I stopped (I wasn't pooped) but it felt right.
I was lucky, too. It started to pour with rain about 10 minutes after I got home. Phew!0 -
Yesterday's run was my best ever. I kept reminding myself to slow down and be comfortable. I ran a total of 6Km in 54 minutes without discomfort and without stopping to walk at any time. It felt great! We CAN do this if we remember to take it easy.
I completed 5K in 45:15 and continued to 54 minutes when I passed the 6K mark. I'm not sure why I stopped (I wasn't pooped) but it felt right.
I was lucky, too. It started to pour with rain about 10 minutes after I got home. Phew!
Well done! There will be no stopping you now.0 -
Yesterday's run was my best ever. I kept reminding myself to slow down and be comfortable. I ran a total of 6Km in 54 minutes without discomfort and without stopping to walk at any time. It felt great! We CAN do this if we remember to take it easy.
I completed 5K in 45:15 and continued to 54 minutes when I passed the 6K mark. I'm not sure why I stopped (I wasn't pooped) but it felt right.
I was lucky, too. It started to pour with rain about 10 minutes after I got home. Phew!
Great job.0 -
Oooh. I just found a pertinent quote in "Treading Lightly"Brian Heiderscheit's...clinical observation was that patients sometimes reported that their knee injury symptoms improved when they ran faster, and faster running is typically coupled with a higher stride rate and possibly changes in landing characteristics.
This might be why running faster feels better to you. The great thing is that you can change your stride rate without changing your speed or exertion.
I used the NHS podcasts to improve my BPM: http://www.nhs.uk/Livewell/c25k/Pages/running-podcast.aspx
When I first started, I'd have to quit due to asthma. But then I made the profound observation that there was a wide range of speeds I would run at 160 bpm. Say, anywhere between 5.5 and 6.3 mph (this was my treadmill workout). So, I asked the Happy Feet board which pace I should run at.
Guess what they told me? Slow down. Sigh. So I did.
It's definitely possible that one of the reasons why I enjoy running so much *during a run* is because I trained to run slowly at a high BPM right after finishing the C25k program. This also makes me good at hills.0 -
I needed to read this today. I was blaming the difficulty I had with my run yesterday on the fact that I hadn't run in 5 days (*shudder* I don't ever want to go that long without again!) But actually I think I was over eager and ran too fast at first. Two weeks ago, I ran 4 miles at pretty constant 11:30 pace and felt like I could run forever. It was great. Yesterday I started at 11 and then ended up running only about a 12:30 avg. and two miles felt hard. It's a tricky thing figuring out how to slow down AND pick up cadence...but I'm willing to try...because I noticed on that easy four miler , that my cadence was zippier. I want every run to feel that great!0
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It's definitely possible that one of the reasons why I enjoy running so much *during a run* is because I trained to run slowly at a high BPM right after finishing the C25k program. This also makes me good at hills.
Interesting! I feel good running hills...I've noticed that when I get to the top and it flattens back out it actually kinda feels harder to run on the flat. Yesterday I was thinking about this while I was running up one of the hills on my regular two mile route. I had a silly thought like "Maybe it's because the ground is rising to meet my feet." But it must be the cadence thing...because I definitely shorten and increase my stride rate on hills. A-ha!0 -
Running hills well give you great confidence in races. Nothing like speeding up when everybody else drops to a walk.
My Good Form Running Coach recommended a metronome app (and NOT to use it for the entire run) but I frankly find it hard to run to and prefer running to music of a set cadence.0 -
I'm making my race playlist tonight...I have noticed that the music I listen to affects my pace whether I mean for it to or not.0
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I don't know if this is helpful but I downloaded a couple of mp3's from Amazon. I simply searched 180 BPM and several options are available. I chose two to start with and they were under $6ea. Just preview them first, one I listened to had such sexist, degrading music that I just wouldn't want to listen to it by choice...ever. I'm having fun playing with the 180. It is definitely faster than I've done, but I can still go at the same overall pace. It's also fun to play with a consistent BPM regardless of terrain. Today I was around a hilly reservoir. Up, down, level, I kept to the beat, just changed my stride. Not too shabby. I was beat at the end though!!0
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It's definitely possible that one of the reasons why I enjoy running so much *during a run* is because I trained to run slowly at a high BPM right after finishing the C25k program. This also makes me good at hills.
I'm not musical AT ALL, so I'm confused. Doesn't the BPM mean that is how many times your foot hits the ground? If so, how do you run more slowly with a higher BPM?0 -
It's definitely possible that one of the reasons why I enjoy running so much *during a run* is because I trained to run slowly at a high BPM right after finishing the C25k program. This also makes me good at hills.
I'm not musical AT ALL, so I'm confused. Doesn't the BPM mean that is how many times your foot hits the ground? If so, how do you run more slowly with a higher BPM?
You don't push forward as much. It's like switching your bike from a lower gear to a higher gear while keeping the cadence of your pedaling the same (which is also how cyclists handle hills, if I don't have my gears confused).
The benefits are form, energy efficiency and reduced joint load/reduced injury potential. If you run in place really slowly and then more quickly, you can kind of feel it.
Once you get the BPM down, you start building up your speed again.0 -
I don't know if this is helpful but I downloaded a couple of mp3's from Amazon. I simply searched 180 BPM and several options are available. I chose two to start with and they were under $6ea. Just preview them first, one I listened to had such sexist, degrading music that I just wouldn't want to listen to it by choice...ever. I'm having fun playing with the 180. It is definitely faster than I've done, but I can still go at the same overall pace. It's also fun to play with a consistent BPM regardless of terrain. Today I was around a hilly reservoir. Up, down, level, I kept to the beat, just changed my stride. Not too shabby. I was beat at the end though!!
I need to do that. When I made my playlist last night, I realized most of my music is just too dang slow! I had just enough songs over 160 to get me through my 5K race.0
